Embarrassing Epic Engagement Experience

UPDATE: This is my most popular post yet so far. We’ve had so much fun reading your comments! If you haven’t commented, don’t be shy… My wife’s side of the story is here

In most situations, you only get one shot at it. And that one shot will be remembered for a lifetime––and not just by you either. If done right, it will entirely, maybe even permanently, melt the hearts of everyone that hears how it all went down. Fittingly, tears of felicitous joy should be shed as the shear romantic beauty of it soaks into one’s soul. Then, your own fond memories of how it went down for you and yours cascade through your own sense of presentness, stirring even more emotion. This ‘it’ is no small matter.. It’s once. It’s emotion. It’s commitment. It’s love. And it will never be forgotten. It’s a precise point in time. A pinpoint in time that is preparatory to the melding of an eternity past with an eternity future. (How’s that for an intro with literary-ness).

What the heck am I talking about? So… if the dude gots his head on straight, ‘it’ means a whole heck of a stinking lot.. it’s like one of the most masculine (but romantic) duties that you can dutifully fulfill in this typically unromantic life. You do it with your own kinda style and with careful, precise, and planned measures.

Forget the wordy intro. I’m freaking engaged and stuff to the coolest woman on earth. And I’m about to tell you how it went down. This is not a short story. It was not an easy thing. Neither was it a quick and easy thing.. as you will see. It took a full 8 hours to go down.

In hindsight, though, the hilarity is quite singular. Since I can’t possibly recount the chronicles of last night in person, I figured I’d do the next most gentlemanly thing and write them (took me 8+ hours). Post them. And you’ve received the link.

This is long… If you do make it through, please leave a comment at the end letting us know you were here. It doesn’t matter if we don’t even know you or if you aren’t family, we would love to hear from you. Just click on ‘add a comment’ at the bottom.

But first, hold on to your hearts and pay attention. This is a fun ride. Don’t distract yourself by trying to multi-task while reading this. It won’t have the same effect. Please.. feel free to laugh and cry as you may. This is worthy of both gestures. I’ve done both while writing this so you can do the same while reading it.

This is how it went down..

The Build Up…

When a couple breaks the M-word barrier (when they start talking about ‘marriage’ without referring to it in code names) and leaks the news to their mothers so that, in turn, the tenacious planning gets under way, the dude loses the element of surprise… unless he’s conniving. An expected proposal for marriage, in my book, just doesn’t have the same affect. Surprise, ingenuity, etc., is the general rule. A dude must still encourage the element of surprise, shock, and awe even if ‘it’ is expected.

I had been working on prepping and preconditioning Janica and almost everyone else to assume that for various reasons I was going to wait till the last minute to ask her to marry me (though we’d been planning the wedding for weeks and most everyone we know was expecting to hear the news anytime). I also made an effort to quench and reformulate unsuspecting Janica’s expectations about the ring, so that I could “under promise and way over deliver,” in a shock and awe-like manner. Over deliver like a whole lot and stuff… like a good salesperson would.. all to achieve the desired affect. I was secretly anxious and almost over zealous to get on with it, to be ‘official.’ This last week I’d been impatiently waiting for the ring to be finished. That was the only hold up.

I decided to design the ring myself. I went in a did the whole deal without telling anyone. I had previously found out Janica’s size and taste. Turns out the ring I had been imagining in my mind for years would fit her tastes just right. I was still incredibly nervous that for some reason she wouldn’t like it. I so wanted to get it right the first time without having to exchange it for something else.

Being a semi-romantic dude, for the last long while (I ain’t know how long) I’d been thinking about how to help it all go down right. I was thinking about how to do my duty thing just right––romantic, surprise, shock, awe, hyperventilation, eye-fanning, etc. I’m conniving and calculating when it comes to these things. And I had an idea that was perfectly genius (I’m assuming it was genius, I didn’t ask anyone’s opinion really).

Little did I know, the whole deal went down far different than I had planned it would… far, far different. And that, my friends, makes all the difference.

It starts…

Earlier in the week I had innocently asked Janica if she wanted to go have a picnic at the beach one evening and watch the sun set. There was nothing atypical about such a thing. She unassumingly said that would be agreeable. I was hoping that would happen Wednesday night. That was not to be because the dadgum ring wasn’t done yet.

Yesterday, Thursday, September 18th, was my first day as an employee, in a very long time. That.. was weird. I’ve been so used to working for myself. Luckily, I love what I do at SEO.com. I’d been doing it for free for a long time and now I get paid for it.. and I still do it for free in my spare time.

About half way through my first day I get a call from the diamond store. Janica’s ring is ready. I lost all focus for the rest of the day. The minutes creeped by… not crept, creeped… like a creep would creep.. haunting me.

I couldn’t wait any longer to axe her to marry me. I made the decision right then that it was going down that night. (Insight: In case you don’t know me very well, once I decide to do something, I usually don’t stop until I get it done.. I had a real bad case of that one-track-mindedness yesterday). I left work a bit later than I had planned for. That put me behind from the start.

It was 5:30 p.m. The sun would go down in one hour and forty-five minutes and I needed the sun to complete the romantic affect I desired. The weather was perfect. I had my idea. But I had no materials. I needed some props to pull it off. So I go hunt for some props.

First stop: The most important prop. The diamond store all the way across town. Check.

It’s 6:00 pm.

Second stop: I have no idea.

Now, I’m not an arts-and-craftiness-oriented person. I don’t spend much time in Michael’s or Joann’s or Robert’s. So when I needed ‘props’ I could only assume where they would most likely be found. For reasons that will be explained, I needed a corked bottle, some packaging string or twill, and parchment paper. That’s it. Simple right?

I went to all those previously named stores, along with Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Pier 1 Imports. A simpler thing would have been to hop on down to the nearest booze place and buy some booze right? Would have saved me an hour.

It’s 7:00 p.m.

The bottle ended up being only seven or eight inches high and really skinny, with thick glass. Would it float? Maybe my physics are off here… In any case, if it was going to do the trick, it needed a note stuffed inside it.. a crafty-ish one with some choice words that would be like a romantic moment lubricant. I wrote the choice words on the choice parchment, antiqued paper and I jimmy-rigged the string so the finder of the bottle would be able to pull the choice note out. Foreshadowing the frustrations to come, the dumb thing wouldn’t fit. I wrote another note, this time one a smaller piece of paper with smaller handwriting. After rolling up the paper and jimmy-rigging the string.. wouldn’t fit.. and the string slipped off. So how do I get the paper out?… Hmmm… The third time. With an even smaller piece of paper (the last sliver of paper I had) and smaller writing.. It fit. Barely. So I popped on the cork, leaving a tag end of the string hanging out of the bottle.

I had my prop done, all fancied up with an uber-romantic note on the inside. It was 7:15 p.m. I was sweating. But I wouldn’t be sweating for long because the sun was going down, taking all the romantic mojo with it.

What to do with the bottle? Luckily, I was already at Utah Lake, where I’d planned for it to go down. I’d bought the stuff and headed there to assemble the prop. I got out of the car and ran to the only 30’ stretch of beach and quickly found the softest 16 square feet of sand.. the only patch of sand on that rocky beach. For picnic purposes, that was where we would set out the blanket and eat our gourmet tuna fish sandwiches that Janica was preparing. We’d texted each other, coordinating dinner. I half buried the bottle in the sand as if it had been misshapenly washed ashore. I would help her happen upon it when the opportune moment presented itself.

The sun had already sunk past the horizon. I had only minutes left of romanticism, as the brightening sunset would shortly follow the sinking sun. I sped home and picked up Janica. At this point I’m still sweating. I haven’t shaved. My breath is… miscalculated that one. And let me just say that my mind wasn’t set on conducting slick-like-a-cat conversation, though I knew that was important to disguise my plight.

My mind was going a thousand miles a minute. How do I ask her? Knees? Sitting down? How should I give her the ring? Where should I put the ring. How do I keep the ring from her? Do I hide it? What do I say to introduce this mysterious little green corked bottle with a message in it without her suspecting anything? Is she on to me? Is the bottle safe? Would anyone walk off with it? There were tons of fisherman there… How long is the sunset going to last? Will it still be romantic? Does my breath smell that bad? (Luckily, I found a mint a bit later in the mess that is my car, another miscalculation). Will she like the ring? What if she thinks this production of mine is cheesy?

I thought about a lot of things on the way back to Utah Lake and my little ‘setting.’ I thought about everything, or did I? I failed to consider romanticism’s arch-nemesis, the blood sucking killer mosquito hoard at Utah Lake. We got out of the car. Walked to the spot. Set out the blanket. Sat, and promptly lost six quarts of blood. In an instant, billions of mosquitoes everywhere.. completely everywhere.. on everything.. sucking dry every square inch of uncovered skin. It wasn’t going down like that. No way. We ran back to the car and sheltered ourselves. We spent a couple minutes killing the mosquitoes that managed to make it in to the car with us.

The tuna fish was surprisingly good. I had my fill, but the mosquitoes didn’t. They were stacking up ten-high on the windows, begging us to emerge. I’d never seen so many. I’d never seen so much opposition come from such little things. Jumanji? We drove away, and consequently drove them off.. the windows at least. Mosquitoes dissipate when it gets dark. They only live one night, if they’re lucky. So I was going to wait a bit and try again when they weren’t as thick. We drove around going to the edge of the jetty and back. The bugs weren’t letting up. It was now 8:15 p.m. September the 18th. The light faded. It was dark. The bottle was still in the sand.

Immediately my mind was racing. How can I fix this and still salvage the ‘it’. I could still pull it off if I found some other body of water close by without miniature oppositions everywhere. But first, I must retrieve the bottle. I stopped the car and said to Janica,”I’m going to go see how bad it is now.” I jumped out of the car and went to where I’d hid the bottle. I couldn’t see it anywhere. It was dark.

Awkward amount of time passes.

I finally find it and Janica finally sees me duck down to the sand and pop back up. I have it. I test the cork lid to see if it’s snug. It wouldn’t come lose. I try harder. Stuck. I try harder. Half the cork comes loose, breaking off in my hand. I can’t get the cork out. How would she? At another awkward interval, while I was supposed to be testing the bug density, I finally just twist the cork loose instead of popping it. I can only imagine what she’s thinking at this point. I’m losing my mind.

I run back to the car. Awkward conversation ensues, riddled with random humming of a Coldplay song and singing to the radio as an excuse for not talking. Good way to distract the conversation I thought. After an eternity, I say, “Gosh dang it! I really wanted to go on a walk tonight. Where can we go on a walk?” I needed a place with water too pull it off.

Six options that were close to Utah Lake with little to no mosquitoes: Campus, campus, campus, campus, the park by Wal*Mart, or the mental hospital (at this point I really felt like I belonged at the Utah State Mental Hospital anyways). Campus would give me the highest degree of probability. Janica even suggested the park by Wal*Mart. When she did, I asked, “Does it have a fountain?” She has no idea why I want a ‘fountain.’ I had askedfor a ‘walk’ not a ‘fountain.’ She looks at me as if I’ve completely lost it. I had. But I was undeterred. It was going down tonight somehow.

What would have been…

So, I’m sure you’re all wondering what I would have done had the Utah Lake bit played itself out flawlessly. So here goes..

After eating the gourmet picnic staring into the setting sun, I help Janica happen upon the mysterious corked bottle. “What the heck is that? That’s curious. I’ve never seen a bottle like.. it still has a cork in it! Check it out!” She grabs it. Examining, she finds a string that is connected with sumpin inside. At the end of the string, she sees a little rolled up sumpin. She uncorks. Pulls the string. Unwinds. Reads. Ahhhhh…. She screams, fans her eyes and hyper-ventilates.

Here’s where it would have gotten real good. She wasn’t expecting much as far as a ring goes. I would have gotten down on one knee and asked her just as straight as you can ask a woman to marry you. (I figure you don’t need to mess around with colorful language at this juncture, not a time for flowery-ness). She says ‘Yes.’ A very simple word––dignifiedly so.

But the ring? Ah yes the ring. Wink. This is my shear romantic geniusness. I would take the string, size it right, wrap it round her ring finger and say “Here’s to a beautiful start.” Then hold her for a while. Knowing Janica, she’d be happy with a string ring… for a while at least. Count of Monte Cristo anyone? Bomb show. Love it. The author of the book and the screenwriter stole that idea from me…

While watching the sun set.. time for a walk. The south side of the marina has a very long right angled jetty. I take her all the way to the end, out where it’s private. Sitting on the huge rocks, watching the fading light of the sun, I reach in my pocket and pull out the first of three rings that make up the ring. It’s a band with channel set princess cut diamonds, beautiful on its own. I knew she would be happy with that alone. In silence, I’d slip off the string and put on the ring.

***Pause for the affect***

On the way back, we stop again to rest on the rocks. Stealthily, out comes the engagement ring with the super sparkly––again in silence. Normally a band and an engagement ring would make up a ‘wedding set,’ But I wanted a particularly symmetrical ring so there was one last piece I would save until the opportune moment. I wanted that moment to be on the doorstep of her apartment (across the street from my house) where all the poignant stuff in our relationship happened. And there it would be. Perfect. Simple. Affective. Surprising. All that good stuff. But see, it ain’t work out that way.

Back to Reality…

I’ve got the engagement ring safely in the chest pocket of my button up shirt. The other rings in my pant pockets. We’re cruising in my car up center street toward home, which is uber close to campus. We park the car at my house. She drops off stuff. I fix myself real fast. (Brush teeth, hair, smell-me-good-sauce, all that jazz… cuz it’s going down).

On the way up the hill to campus, I ask her where she’d like to go. I asked about ‘that place up there.’ I acted like I hadn’t been to the new waterful/river/creek manmade concoction up by the bell tower on the extreme northeast side of campus. It’s beautiful and watery so I figured it’d functionize just right to set the right mood. I succeeded in helping her want to show me this new cool place.. a place complete with water and stuff, which was what I needed to pull off the message in a bottle. This was emergency on-the-fly backup plan number one.

I’m about to get carpel tunnel syndrome, however you spell that, I don’t care. I ain’t even half done yet, but I’m still in love with Janica.

That cool place up by the bell tower is only three inches from a small city worth of freshman. They are everywhere and they are young. They’re always out at night traipsing around doing an-extension-of-high-school kind of stuff, in a kosher mormon kinda way.

Based on that possibility alone, I was worried about privacy and interruption for sure. My plans for privacy were further disrupted by a massive World of Dance show that let out precisely as we hit campus. Now, hoards of people mixed with the hoards of freshman. There’s been nothing but hoards of things all night. Crazy.

We proceed. Again, awkward conversation. My mind is rolling on despite the silence. What to do? I just have to give it a shot and hope for the best. At least I smell good and my breath is fresh. But how can I get the bottle in the water without here knowing? How will she find it?

I have had the bottle in my pocket the whole time, since I picked it off the beach. The whole night, I consciously kept that side of me away from Janica. I had left my cell phone and my wallet at home to make room in my pockets for the bottle and the camera.

It’s 9:45 p.m.

We get up to the cool place and it’s not too terribly non-private. Cept there was this dude with his head phones on sitting on the precise bench I had envisioned in my mind. that was the bench. The dude happens to be a freshman dude from Janica’s home town that used to be on Jeopardy. What a coincidence. I hope he doesn’t think I’m a jerk…

Instead of the bench, which was under a street lamp (I really wanted/needed the lamp because the writing on the paper in the bottle was super small and she’d need to read it without any problems), we walked up closer to the waterfall thingy. Beautiful it is. Loud too. Rushing waters. I think to myself, “Self, can I just throw the bottle in the waterfall and hope it floats down stream? or that it would clank on the rocks and attract her attention?” The bottle had to be durable, but how durable? Would it float. I didn’t know.

We snap some pics on the rocks by the waterfall. Awkward amount of time spent there. Lots of awkwardness everywhere around. More couples come and peruse the scene. Finally, I decide against throwing the bottle in the river, at least right there by the waterfall. I’m planning ahead… I threw some random rocks in first, making big splashes, so that throwing things in the water wouldn’t be out of place or questionable if I decided to throw the bottle in the water a bit later.

We walk back to the bench, now unoccupied and still fully lighted. We sit. I think, while humming randomly, and making complete nonsensical comments about ducks and things. There were ducks everywhere. They quack.

More awkward time passes. Millions of awkward milliseconds passed by. Couples kept passing by. More freshman. No privacy anywhere. Salvage the proposal? How would I do it? At this point, she’s got to be on to me. There’s no way I could be this awkward, this long, without her suspecting.

I thought to ask her “how’s your imagination?” And then ask her to close her eyes and imagine that she turned around and found a mysterious bottle on the beach instead. Then the bottle would appear behind her on the sidewalk. Lame. I actually did ask her about her imagination and she was adamant about answering it even after I’d blown the question off without her having to answer it. That was a hint that she was on to me. The element of surprise was slipping away quickly.. in fact, it was long gone. Though I didn’t know for sure. No matter, it was going down.

I needed at least to try to get the bottle in the water. How to do it? Here it is: I forgot my camera on the rock… I really didn’t but I ‘did.’ I tell her so and run to where we were sitting, near the waterfall. I put the camera on the rock, turned away for a split second, and went back for it so I wouldn’t be flat out lying. I was over by myself, in the dark, while she was sitting on the bench, under the light, texting her sister.

Now is my chance to get the bottle in the water. I walk half way back to the lighted bench, to where a huge boulder would somewhat break the line of site between me and her. I duck down close to the water. It’s clear, over a foot deep, with a slight current. Maybe just enough that if the bottle floats, it would drift down toward Janica and the lighted bench. Perfect.

I lean over close to the water and gently drop the bottle in, expecting it to bob back above the surface. My physics were wrong. Duh. No way the little amount of air that the bottle contained would float that thick glass. Too late. It disappeared, falling straight to the bottom.

The bottle was corked so the message would be safe to use again, if I could just get the bottle back. (I didn’t think that ripping off half the cork would weaken the cork enough to let water seep in). The bottle is still in over a foot of water and I can’t see it. There was just barely not enough light to see the little bottle on the bottom. There was a glare on the water and what light there was refracted itself so the bottom of the creek was distorted. I leaned closer to the water to try and abate the glare…

As if nothing was meant to go right, the inevitable happens. In that instant, time stood still. Almost on cue, as I bent down closer to the water, my huge investment and token of love for Janica came hopping out of my chest pocket, where it had sat silently. Maybe it too was impatient with me. It seemed to be laughing.. mocking me with all its simple splendor. The ring bounced off of a rock and plopped into the same water that swallowed my bottle.

It vanished… Worry sets in… then panic.

Despite the pending doom of wasted money and a botched engagement, I managed to chuckle to myself. I felt around for the ring. Thank goodness BYU takes good care of their water works. There was no silt on the bottom for the ring to sink in to. I felt around and quickly got the return of my investment. But the bottle?

There was no other alternative. I wanted to act like I tripped and fell in the water just to add to the irony of the moment. But then I’d have to walk all the way home with wet shoes. And I liked those shoes. I quickly stripped off my socks and shoes and rolled up my jeans and jumped in. Janica is still on the bench all by herself. I felt around and found the bottle standing vertically on the bottom of the creek.

The bottle made it safely back into my pocket. (The water would slowly seep into the bottle through the cork and ruin the note). At this point, it was actually quiet and still all around me. For once… no people. But I hadn’t gotten my ducks in a row.

So, I would just have to pull the ‘imagination’ card I’d previously decided against and play my hand. I came back over to Janica with bare feet, my jeans rolled up, my socks and shoes in my hand, and the bottle tucked in my pocket. She looked at me as if we should have gone to the mental hospital and had her walking home alone. I can only imagine how weird I must have seemed. I was tortured and tired and I just wanted to propose to the girl of my dreams. Please!!

Again we sit. And I with my internal debate as to what in Sam Hill do I do with this butchered situation. I’ll just out and ask her. Forget the bottle. Forget the romance. Forget the surprise. I just want her. I just held her for a while. Seconds later, there comes laughter from my two-o’clock. The laughter gets closer. Sounds like freshmen laughter. You know, the ‘we don’t have a care in the world’ laughter. They’re walking towards us. No privacy.

It was 10:37 p.m.

The kids have freshmanmade boats dangling from their freshman fingers. They come closer and closer. There’s ten of them. Much laughter. Much annoyance. They line up their boats in the water at the head of the little manmade creek, right by us. Camera flashes. Laughing. Freshmen talk. GO!!! Cheering. They are racing their boats down the creek.. Keep racing and racing. It’s a Thursday night. I don’t understand.

I wait. Still wanting to propose to beautiful, patient, understanding and extremely long suffering Janica. But alas, I abandon my plight at the cool place. For over an hour I battled the odds there and came up beaten. There were three other decently romantic ‘bodies of water’ on the way home and thus four more chances, because the door step would be the last resort. All the people who attended the World of Dance production were long gone.

We walk away from the cool place.

Forth to last chance: The little water display between the Museum of Art and the Fine Arts Building. The one with the creepy, weird statues and stuff. That would have been and easy spot. The water is right by the little bench I was thinking of. We approach. There’s two people wrapped all up in themselves already occupying the bench, in it’s entirety. At this point, if they would have left some room, I would have shared the moment with them and proposed to Janica there. We walk away from the forth to last chance.

Third to last chance. The pseudo-neoclassical courtyard at the JFSB. This should have been my last resort because I’ve had a history there already. This is one of my favorite spots. Again, propriety was lost to me at this point. I just wanted to get it done. I hurt emotionally and I was exhausted mentally. We get to the beautiful JFSB fountain…

Immediate shock, awe, and disbelief…

Introducing the ironic/comic relief moment of the century: Already on his knee, was a little boy who was proposing to a very big girl. Shock and awe. But not the shock and awe I was looking for. That ruined it for me. Flat out killed it dead. Not an once of romance was left in me at this point. I had no words. More awkward meaningless mumbling conversation covered up my disgust and frustration.

It was 11:10 p.m.

Second to last chance. The cliche chocolate duck pond south of campus. Eww! I didn’t care. After that last seen of romantic carnage, we were quickly on our way. We passed the old President’s house, which now has a nice garden with a bench we’d occupied once upon a good time. I thought to occupy it once again and end my torture there. No.

We continued down past the Maeser Building, the most iconic building on campus. I considered just sitting on the steps there and popping the question. No. I was headed for the sloping spread of lawn on the south side of the Maeser building where Janica and I had had some meaningful chats. I thought that would be it. Finally!! Peace, privacy, and love. I liked that option better than the chocolate duck pond.

Denied. Two girls who enjoyed each other’s company way too much shot out in boisterous laughter immediately as we approached. Kicking and screaming laughter. The ab work out kind. The kind of laughter you need a gym membership for. Good for them. To me, this was no laughing matter. I no longer cared about the pond. I was tired of walking. Tired of thinking. Tired of the stupid bottle in my pocket. Tired of planning. Tired of caring.. and still in love.

Last chance.

Home.

The doorstep.

A refreshing familiarity.

…Still walking hand in hand, with the bottle in my left pocket. She has perfect hands.

It was 11:30 p.m.

With the last vaporized fumes in my emotional gas tank.. here goes one last shot from the hip. It was going down. I had already made the decision early and I don’t back down. It was going down. It was going down, romantic or not. I’m not even thinking about the bottle at this point. I would just use the three ring staggered shock and awe approach, without the string ring. That’d work. The bottle stays in the left pocket. We sit on the porch…

As if on cue once more, less than 30 seconds later… random person 1 walks by… Random person 2… Person 3… Random couple… Rinse and repeat over and over. No privacy. No romance. Whimsically typical. What else could I expect? So we just sat and sat… on the porch perch.

One of Janica’s best friends and roommate then comes out of a neighboring house and makes straight for us. She is a red head. And a gleeful conversation follows. Of course she is an innocent bystander and has no clue what’s going on. I hadn’t told a soul what I was up to that night. On the bright side, Janica was probably relieved that somebody had common sense enough to talk to her like a normal human being should. I should have been sleeping in white-sheeted bed at the mental hospital.

As if irony had been the mainstay of the evening, Janica’s roommate dares to ask me in a hushed, low whisper, “Hey, you got the ring yet? When you going to ask her? Get on with it will ya!!” If she only knew…

Now, where we live is quite the social place. Three is a crowd, and when there’s a crowd, a gathering shortly commences. One of my best friends sees the crowd and comes over with his computer to rip off some free wireless internet. He sits on the porch with us three. Now we’re four.

Janica’s roommate asks him about the current financial crisis… I was doomed. This was not going to be a short conversation. He’s a financial planner for Merrill Lynch, which company just got bought by Bank of America at $29 a share. “The current financial disaster has it’s roots in the sub-prime mortgage melt down. Do you know what a sub-prime mortgage is?…” And so it goes on and on. Frustration builds to a boiling point… I just wanted one whole minute of semi-romantic privacy. I’m feeling tossed to and fro with every wave of incidental indecency. I am almost numb to it at this point.

Then out comes the entire neighborhood to play with us.

It’s not long before we’re eight, instead of four. Ten. Twelve. The bottle was still buried in my left pocket, safe and unused. My heart, after ripping itself out of my chest, fell on the ground, exhausted and abused. Each new person that joined us to chill out on our signature porch perch stepped on it, sat on it, and made it hurt.

It was over.

It was 11:45 p.m.

I take Janica inside and I say goodnight. I just wanted to hold her forever and cry on her shoulder. She had no idea what I was going through for her. I gave her a kiss goodnight. and let her slip from my grasp. She went to bed. I stashed the bottle and joined the party on the porch outside her place, though not part of me wanted to party.

Everyone was laughing, joking. I was crying inside, struggling to smile at anything. I don’t remember saying a word to anyone. I stood with my hands in my pockets, the bottle no longer there.

I wandered home.

Thoughts. Thoughts. And thinking.

I had resolved to ask Janica to marry me. A raging inferno of debate continued inside my mind and heart. My thoughts festered my heart ached. Wait… I can salvage this. What about the element of surprise? What about romance? Shock? Awe?

Ahhhh… It was perfect.

I would wait until they all went to bed. I would wait until the party dissipated.. until the porch perch was cleared of its community riffraff and we could be alone and together… finally. I would call Janica on the phone until she answered. Her phone would not be on silent. I, knowing well this girl whom I wanted for my wife, knew her phone wasn’t on silent because she uses it as an alarm every night. I would call repeatedly if need be. Yes! Repeatedly. There was no escaping me this time.

She would descend the stairs, half asleep and unawares. Upon opening the door she’d find me on the porch perch all by myself… with nobody around… on my knee… and it would go down with shock and awe. This was nothing how I’d planned it from the start.

Because… if she was on to me and suspecting sumpin was up, surely her hopes would have been dashed as I kissed her goodnight. She’d never expect me to wake her up out of a deep sleep. So that’s what I was gunna do. Bling.

I waited and waited. Thursday was drifting into Friday morning. The party slackened not. Laughing, screaming, laughing, talking. Unabated. I wandered back over to join the fray and maybe encourage a bedtime.

It was 12:15 a.m.

I’d been trying to ask Janica to marry me for the past 7 hours.

Minutes later, another friend shows up. He pops the trunk of his sweet Audi IS4 and pulls out some bedding––Pads, blankets, sleeping bag––and slaps them down on the driveway across the street from where we were. This was a familiar seen. Untimely, but familiar nonetheless. Huh? Three and a half years ago, he used to live next door to me, which is across the street from where Janica lives.

Back in those days, he and his roommates liked to sleep out front on the driveway during the summer nights. This particular night was beautiful, still about 74 degrees. A beautiful night. He’d since moved away but randomly got the itch to sleep under the stars, on the driveway of his old place. This is the only night, of which I am aware, that he’s come back to sleep on the driveway since he’d moved out three and a half years ago. He couldn’t have picked a more disastrous evening to be sleeping on the streets.

***Pause while this last shred of irony sinks in***

He would be sleeping exactly across the street from where I was to propose to Janica. There would be no privacy at any interval that night, for he would surely be privy to my public proposal on the porch perch.

What could I have done more?

It was over.

Janica was in bed. Sleeping beauty. Yet still there would be no privacy on the porch perch.

My personality kicks in again. Getrdone you pansy! I ain’t no quitter bro! I ain’t quit.. ever! As if there was some type of competitiveness within myself, against myself. Again, the same worn out thoughts still thinking themselves through the synapses in my brain. Thinking…

What about the element of surprise? What about romance? Shock? Awe?

Ahhhh… it was perfect.

The Audi.

I asked if I could use the Audi for a few minutes. With a wink, the street sleeping friend agreed to let me take it for a spin. He thought I was just going to take it for a spin. I call Janica…

Phone ringing… Ringing… Ringing…

“Huh.. Hello?” Barely a whisper.

“Hey Girl! How you doin?”

(From somewhere I was able to muster a happy voice. This was it. I knew it. There was no possible way anyone or anything was going to interfere this time. It’d be just me and her. And she wouldn’t be expecting it… shock and awe)

“I was almost asleep.”

“Get dressed and come down stairs. I wanna show you sumpin.”

Click.

A few minutes later she emerges. The party still going on. She sees me in front of her house, in the driver’s seat of the Audi, beckoning her to get in. We were going for a ride in a far sweeter car than my own. This would be a treat for sure. She would think that the reason I woke her up was to go for a joyride in the Audi IS4. It would be a joyride, just not the kind she’d be suspecting.

Now, where to go?

I sift through my mental phone book of potential romantic sites in Provo. I compromise. I just wanted flowers, wherever and whenever I could find them. I didn’t care about the place anymore.

We drive.

She’s in the passenger seat wondering if I’ll finally make my way home, to check myself in at the Utah State Mental Hospital. I’m taking corners and testing the throttle as if that’s the show for the evening. I make conversation about how bomb the car is.

I’m trixie.

We end up in the parking lot below the Y mountain trail. I park for 15 seconds. I didn’t see any flowers and I didn’t want to share the moment with a dozen other parked people.

We drive on. Fun.

I find flowers. Not where I’d thought they’d be.

It was almost perfect though. It was simple. The flowers looked like daisies, Janica’s favorite flower. In a rush of adrenaline and masculinity, I remembered my sacred romantic duty. This was it. The saga ends here.

I flip the car around and pull over… parking completely crooked. I didn’t care. It was dark, nobody around. We were finally alone and unencumbered by mosquitoes, freshmen, or community riffraff.

We’d pulled over next to a vacant lot on an empty street.

Finally, a finality to stamp on this 8 hour escapade.

Now parked. She wonders what the heck is going on. I say one, romantic, pointed phrase in explanation.

“Get out of the car.” (I was playing for the shock and awe at this point).

Lest I forget my propriety. I end up opening the door for her…

The flowers were right there. I reach to break off a flower. As Janica watches, I struggle to break off the flower. Embarrassment anyone? The affect of the uncooperative flower in light of what I was about to do…

Finally it breaks free. She’s still looking at me wide-eyed and wonder-filled. Still wondering about my sanity. (As if this was the blandest story, to add some salt, turns out I’d subconsciously picked the ugliest, most busted, unkempt flower of the bunch.. I picture Sigmund Freud rolling over in his grave). That just warmed my heart.

With the flower clutched in my fingers, I pause and look at her. She’s beautiful. There was something about this moment that just made her more beautiful than I’d ever seen her. The street light shown down on us as if it was held in place by heaven’s angels. It was as if I was emotionally coming home after I’d been away for years at sea.

“This is for you.. [pause] Janica, what I’ve been trying to do this whole night is propose to you.”

“Are you serious?!?!?!?”

I smile. This was my time to shine y’all. I wanted to keep the question simple. I could have been wordy, but it would have killed the affect.

I take her hand. Hit the knee. And ask her using the most traditional language possible.

In response, she says just one word. A dignified, simple word.

All in one motion, I have the first of the three rings that would make up the whole ring in my hand.

For sake of this marathon story extending even longer, this is where the proposal story ends. Naturally, upon finding out the news, people freak out. There was a lot of freaking out that night. And not just by Janica and me. Back at the party scene, Janica’s sister was the first to know.. then it snowballed.

Now, at this point I’m certainly relieved, exhausted, and absolutely overjoyed. It’d been a terribly beautiful night. Waves of fluctuating emotions. The day had been difficult. I was met with frustration after frustration, stifled at every turn. Yet I continued. The end was beautiful.

After looking at the ring, which Janica loved to show off, the next question people asked was how it went down. Hmmm… I had no simple answer for that, seeing how’d I spent the last 8 hours proposing to Janica.

As I recounted the story the first time, the raw entertainment value began to sink in a
nd lacking the energy to recount the story over and over to every inquirer, here I sit, typing.

Now she got the ring bling thing.

The ‘big day’ happens on November 29th. We couldn’t be happier. Seriously.

I am in love with Janica. Period.

The end.

P.S. If you read all the way to this point, Janica and I have taken up a lot of your time. I only ask that you please take up some of our time and write a comment or two below. We’d love to hear your two cents! We’ve enjoyed so much your comments! Keep ’em coming!!

UPDATE: Again, congratulations on making it all the way through. Go get your reward… Janica has decided to publish her side of the story. The plot thicken-izes… right here. And as always if you like this kinda of stuff you can subscribe to the RSS feed or get automatic updates via email so you won’t miss any future crazy stuff.

A test of strength for a strong man. It is fitting that your proposal to Janica was exactly like your search for her: long, discouraging at times, full of relationships that didn’t work out, and finally, the sweet joy of finding on earth the one with whom you walked in eternity before mortality.

I am ecstatic about Janica joining my family. Congratulations to the both of you on a job well done. My best wishes to you. May Father’s abundant blessings be upon you to part the veil for a moment so that you can see and feel a little of the eternal glory that awaits you in Him through the Grace of our Lord Jesus.

Congratulations to you both for finding each other. I am excited about the wonderful life you will lead together Janica is a great addition to our family. I love her already. Congrats to you Son for finally asking and not bowing to frustrating circumstances. Be good to each other and put God your union first and you will always be happy. Love to you both.

You were right, I did laugh and cry. I love the way you write! Thank you for writing it all down for us to enjoy. I am so glad you didn’t let all that craziness beat you, and you were able to have your beautiful proposal! We are so very happy for you, that you finally found each other! The best thing is, as much as you love Janica now, it will only get better. Real love keeps growing and growing, it is a wonderful blessing. I look back at our engagement and wedding, and remember that I loved Aaron so much I thought I was going to burst. But that was nothing compared to how much I love him now, and I know it will continue to grow into eternity. God’s plan is amazing and surely brings us great joy! Congratulations to you, we are so EXCITED!!!

P.S. I want to hear Janica’s side of things too. Did she suspect? Did she really think you were awkward and strange all night? What did she think when you kissed her goodnight and left? What was going through her mind?

Life is a marvelous journey if you keep your eye on the prize. Not many days are picture perfect, so you have a great start on reality. Determination and flexibility will aid your success in all areas of pursuit. Seth, we love you and are so grateful to you for having waited for Janica. She is wonderful and will fill your life with daisies and sunsets and will patiently wait while you battle the raging rapids and killer mosquitoes of life. It will be fun.
Love you guys,
Love Dad

It’s like I’ve had to pick a # to post on this blog. I laughed, I cried, I laughed so hard tears came to my eyes & I cried again. What a keepsake for your children & all your posterity! I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to watch you both many times during this whole process. It’s like you’ve said Seth; it’s like I’m sitting back & watching a wonderful dream unfold for both of you; one that seems too good to be true at times. I’ve felt really good about this from the very start. Patience pays off in great dividends in the end! I can attest to that myself. I couldn’t be happier to be able to have you as part of our family & to know that Janica will be equally welcomed into yours. You make a beautiful couple & many wonderful blessings await you as you walk hand in hand through mortality and work together side by side to achieve your eternal reward. We thank your parents & family for teaching you & preparing you to be the perfect companion for our daughter. Congratulations & BIG HUGS!
I Love you both,
Mom
P.S. We’ll encourage Janica to write her version.

Seth, Congrats. I’m so excited for the two of you. Janica told me I had to read how the whole thing went down. Let me just say I laughed a lot. I’m sorry it was so hard, but I know it was well worth the wait for you and her. Proposals are always funny to read. Good luck with all of the wedding plans!

Strength in adversity, that just might be your lot in life. I hope it is in strength that you continue to overcome your obstacles. We are so happy that you persevered. We are ecstatic that you are bringing Janica into our family. It is said that you should live life in such a way that your Enemy laments the moment you wake up. Well I think you should also marry the kind of person, that when you join forces the enemy’s camp sorrows at the thought. Clearly that is what is happening here, or they would have not sent the Mosquitoes. Way to Go Bro!!! We Love you Janica!!! And thanks for loving our brother. When Janica was visiting our family there were times that I forgot that we had a visitor. It was like everyone who was there belonged there. Now I am glad that it has come true. We Love You Guys!!!!!!!

I’m leaving a comment because this is my 3rd time reading through this. I LOVE IT. I love, love LOVE Seth. I promise I’ll write my part of the story, soon! I love it for the fact that it makes me laugh and cry and love Seth 10,000 times more each time I do read it. (and I love the way he writes) Thanks for all your comments. We seriously could not be happier at this point in our relationship :)

What an awesome story. I love the way you never gave up and it is just too cute that you needed to get it done that day. (you were so excited) And even after all you went through you had your mind set and you were victorious in the end:) I am so excited to have you in our family. You fit right in. I knew after our family reunion you were the one for Janica! I am so excited for both of you and I totally agree with the others, Janica needs to post her side of the story.
Congratulations and good job brother:)

Maybe I’m a slow reader, but that took me almost an hour. It’s super late (or early) out here in So Cal. I just got off work (an hour ago at the Hotel) excited to hear how this went.

I was throwing my hands up in the air for you Seth. I’m thorougly impressed with your imagination and damaged-control skills in the process. I had a feeling after your swarm of mosquitoes, that you were going to face obstacles left and right. Which you did. This story was made perfect to me, becuase of the obstacles. Opposition was validating how beautiful it would be when it finally came about. Tasting the sweet immediately after the sour… and you had it back to back. So lucky you… in a sense… (or should I join that mental ward with you?! haha). Well done, you’re definately part of the family. Much love for you both.

Nathan

Oh and the “Eye-fanning”!.. ha, I love that… Did you actually make Janica do it?!

Janica and Seth I am so excited for you!! Congratulations! And what a crazy crazy story. Props to you for pulling it off. Janica you are the best friend anyone could ask for. Seth you are getting an amazing girl. Good luck with all the wedding plans.

Seth, you don’t know me, but I think you know my sister-in-law… she’s that red-head roommate that ruined one of your many attempts. :-) And, I know Janica — Congratulations to both of you guys! I thought that Brad and I had a funny proposal story, but yours is so much better. Thanks for letting us all in on your grand plan and how it all fell apart, and yet all came back together in the end. Good luck with everything! Jan, I can’t wait to hear what you were thinking!

Wow, that took a long time to read..i felt like i was reading a chapter in a love novel though!! Congratulations!! Janica, you don’t know me, I just know Seth, but I started looking at your alls pictures when you first started dating! The engagement story is great!! Seth, sorry it didn’t happen how you wanted it to at first, but just think you got a super story to have for the rest of your lives! I’m sure it was super romantic and I’m sure Janica got a kick out of it after you told her about all of your frustrations!! CONGRATS again!!!!

Seth!!! Dude congrats! I’m really happy you got it done. Way to persevere. I think all thAt adversity was just a test to see how much you wanted it. But it’s a great story. That will be in the memory forever.

wow, its a good thing that today is sunday and i had enough time to sit down and read the well written novel of your engagement story!glad you take the time to write it though, it had me laughing out loud the whole time. you should look into writing a book with those writing skills!congrats!

seth you are such a disaster! i’m not done reading this but i want you to know that i haven’t laughed so hard in a long while. on a side note, you are aware that several of your cousins live in the same town as you, right? sure wish we could see you more often, instead of 3 maybe 4 times in like 9 months….

Congrats guys! I love the torture!… It turned out great.. Now I would love to hear Janica’s side… did she suspect all night long?..did she secretly call the mental hospital before she almost fell asleep?.. doesn’t matter now.. she said yes!

Congratulations to both of you!!! What a beautiful, heart-wrenching story! I grew up with Janica, and she really is an amazing girl! Well worth the fighting for, as you obviously know, Seth! :)
I agree that the likeliness of all that adversity was a test of how much you really wanted it! The adversary does not want Heavenly Fathers children (especially his “choice” children) to be happy!
I hope everything else works out a lot smoother for you guys! If not, I’m not worried… you guys will be able to overcome ANY trial that comes your way with that kind of perseverance!!! :) I’m so happy Janica has found her prince charming she has been waiting for, and that he knows that he’s the lucky one! Congrats guys!

I just saw a link to the story on Janica’s facebook and had to check it out because I’m a sucker for engagement stories….and WOW, what a story! This is probably one of the best I’ve heard. I’m glad it finally worked out! Congratulations!

Janica, How can this be? Wasn’t it just yesterday we left your front teeth in the exercise bike. We are so thrilled for you. We feel deep connection to you, as I sure you know, we named our daughter after you. You are getting married on our wedding date too!! SOOOOOO happy for you!! Love, Eric & Trish

So happy for you both, but just so you know, Janica, you weren’t the first one to have to get out of bed to go get engaged. I had to too. I’ll tell you that story sometime, although it’s definately not such a long story! Love to you both, Aunt Mindy

Dude, that is such a funny story! You had me laughing the whole time! I’m sorry that I messed up your plans – I just went there after studying at the library to cool down and relax. I’m glad that it worked for you after all. Good luck to you both!

I have never been much of a sucker for lovey-dovey stories, mostly because I don’t believe that kind of thing really happens, so I’m not entirely sure why I read your story. I tell you what, though, it’s the fact that everything went wrong and you stuck with it that makes it impossible to deny that romance is alive. You guys are in love, and it shows. Congratulations. Truly. Best of luck to you both.

That was funny. I have had my share of botched romance at and around Utah Lake and I for one think for your story alone they should bury the lake and burn the mosquito farms. The only thing that would have made me laugh harder is if you would have been busted by the stalwart Provo police at 1am in your buddy’s car with no license.

Checked my e-mail late today (late church). Printed engagement story and settled back to read. Couldn’t keep it to myself for long. Had to read it out loud to Uncle Reiner. Got hoarse reading loud enough for him to hear. We laughed and “oh noed” over and over. Glad you finally found a prop that worked for you -even if it was a bedragled stubborn daisy. Looks like it did it’s job, and so did the two of you. I’m sure i’m not the only one who “saw it coming”. Janica you have felt like family from the beginning. Forever happiness to you both. I love you! Auntie Jan

Wow Seth! That is amazing and so frustrating at the same time! Thanks for the entertainment though I loved reading it! CONGRATULATIONS I am so excited for you! and Janica welcome to the family I can’t wait to meet you!! Love you!

I read your site, Janica’s one, Shanae’s, and Wood mom’s. In the last 1 1/2 hoursf, I felt I got to know your love story – filled with love, passion, sweetness, always want to be (do) the best for each other, and filled with blessings. I sincerely congrats on this big milestone in your both lifes. I am getting my ticket to see you both on your big day!!

btw, great job on the ring, how can q guy that talented to design such a beautiful ring without advice, huh? ;)

love always,
Carol

PS. I am sorry that I haven’t had a chance to meet you, but i am janica’s sister!! you should see some of my pics in the house of wood. see ya both soon!!

Too funny, cousin! I really enjoyed reading the story. You should have Jarom make it into a comedy movie short. Congratulations to you both! I look forward to meeting Janica at our next Ellsworth shindig. I don’t think I’m going to be able to come for Thanksgiving/Grandma’s B-day though. I wish you smooth sailing with the wedding.

It was a great story and a fun start to many more I’m sure. I am very happy for both of you. Congrats, and Seth you couldn’t have chosen a better girl or family for that matter to spend eternities with!

Seth, I just have to say WOW! That was really funny to read. We are happy for you guys! I wish that we could be there but we will not be able to make it to Utah for Thanksgiving, our baby is due two weeks later. But Congrats!!!

What a wonderful (and funny) story. I am so happy for you both and can’t wait for that day that will change your lives forever. I’m glad that you wrote your story down and are able to cherish and laugh at it forever. Janica, welcome to the family, you are a wonderful addition. Seth, words can’t express what I would tell you. We’ll see you both soon enough.

I’m with you, I’m a picture person. I haven’t seen any proposal pics., but I have a pic. of the ring & some other pics of Seth & Janica on woodparents.blogspot.com & Janica’s sister has some on jonesfamilyaloha.blogspot.com.

Oh my Seth! Thank you for just making my day at work that much better! I am incredibly stoked to…actually meet Janica as that still has not happened! But thank you for this and way to go with the element of surprise and everything! What a romantic you are! Love you and for real… I need to meet Janica!

Congratulations Seth and Janica! I am very happy for both of you. That was an incredibly long thing to read–but the happy ending is worth it. Many blessings be upon you both.
I’d love to come to the reception :)

What a hoot!!! If it ever gets easier with women, let me know. LOL Being with someone that God has chosen for you never gets old. If there is anything that I can do to help, let me know. I am proud of you.

We are very excited for you two and can’t wait to meet Janica. I didn’t know you were such a romantic, Seth. WOW! We are so glad that you have found that special one to share eternity with. Harold said to me after he read your story, you’ll be grateful you got your ring the way you did. (in the parking lot of Storehouse market). I don’t know it sounds like a perfect ending for a very long and emotionally draining day. Thanks for sharing. Your children will love that you have written it down. See ya soon.

Hi Seth and Janica! What a great story. I need to go back and read Janica’s version now! It sounds like you guys will have a very adventurous and great marriage! Good luck planning and prepping for the wedding, and a November wedding is a great time to be hitched…it’s when I got married! :) Good luck with everything!

I’m just glad I wasn’t that red-headed roommate you were talking about! Haha! j/k. There is much to be said for persistence here! I’m impressed, not only by your amazing planned evening which was so intricate, but by how you handled yourself and pulled it off despite the roadblocks. More like mountains to overcome! haha! I’m so happy for you guys! I don’t think there could be a more perfectly fit couple. Glad I got to be part of some of that in the early stages. Good times. I knew the night we all watched the Little Mermaid together that she needed to hang on to you. I’m glad she did. Congratulations and best wishes!

OK so you don’t know me at all but i was rading my sisters friends blog and they had your story on it so i thought i would read it!!

ALL i have to say is THANK YOU for trying so hard to make the night wonderful for her! every girl dreams that the guy will try his hardest to make that night wonderful! that made me so happy! i must say i did laugh and cry! i thought you were full of yourself but you proved to be true. I happy you finally got to ask her!! =]

I am impressed by your determination and perseverance, and so happy for you two. Janica, you’re wonderful and beautiful and I’m thrilled you’ve found someone who will complete you forever! Best wishes.

okay, to be honest, I way randomly ran into your blog on the internet. I started reading. I couldnt stop. What an amazing hilarious story! You two sound wonderfully in love and even though I dont know you, congrats! Seth, you should definitely be an author. (no offence to Janica) You have a great talent with writing and I loved every bit of your story while I sat home boyfriendless on a saturday night. :)

Man you know its true love if she looked even more beautiful when you made the move than she had ever looked before. I am really happy for you and wish you two the best marriage ever. Hopefully one day me and my girl which i can’t live without will get to this stage, but again i am really happy for you man. also great job at being romantic with her, girls love that.

Its funny how i ran into your story, but i thought it was rather lovely and the fact that you fought until the end only shows how much you wanted to be with her, i wish you both the best of luck in your marriage and in your new life, this will only be the first to many more stories to come:)

Seth it was a great story I couldn’t stop laughing and you couldn’t be more specific about every single detail of that day I am really happy for you guys and hope that your love for each other grows forever. Sometimes in our life we don’t get what we want when we wanted because of different reasons and we easily get discouraged in our first or second attempt to achieve our goals maybe because things don’t go exactly the way we vision them, your story is a very good example of determination and a good spirit to not give up on the things that really matters to us. Good luck and thank you. Alex

Hi Seth,
What a great story of LOVE and PERSEVERANCE. It’s been 8 years in but it shows the passion and intensity that you still have today. I became aware of you last week when you spoke to a group that Lou D’Alo is coaching in an 8 week program. I am so grateful to you for agreeing to do that talk, I was so inspired by your passion and the unique CONTENT that you delivered – so transforming.
Of course I am going to read Janica’s version of the story – hope it is not as long – but just as ‘juicy’.
Continued love and happiness to you both.
Joan

Such a beautiful story, Seth! I have never had such an experience myself, but I am happy for you and Janica. How wonderful for you both to be so in love and happy together! I can tell from reading your story that she means the world to you and that is as it should be. How sweet and funny that it was so agonizing to get to the part where you actually could propose! I wish you both many more beautiful and loving years and experiences!

Love it, bro! Reading your story brought back so many memories of my own proposal. The preparation to make it perfect, dealing with the inevitable curveballs, and finally the payoff. The irony is that the story behind the story makes it that much more memorable.

WOW! What a fantastic story! I felt the emotion, the pain, the panic, the fear and the joy for you all over again.

I have a story nowhere similar, but, I will simply say that after my dear bride (now of 37 years (we include our 10 years of living together since all of our friends say they knew we weren’t married, forever, from the day we first moved in together), Annette, started giving me the “SOGOTP” message (in more polite terms, “Do it, already!”) by subscribing to one bride’s magazine after another,

When she started getting bride’s magazines from overseas my romantic (okay, my frugal) side of me figured, “I better ask her, these magazines are costing a fortune!”

I decided to pop the question at our favorite little sports bar after ordering and waiting for our “loaded potato skins”.

On bended knew, I popped the question. She said, “Yes!” (and though she says I was hearing things, I swear she also said, “Finally!!!”)

We ate our goodies and that has been 37 years.

Again, great story, Seth and Janica!

Netty and I wish you at least as many years as we have had together.

Duane and Annette Siebert

P.S. Merrill Lynch fits even more prominently into our tale. She was hired to be a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch (and in MLPF&S training class 238A) and I came along several months later (training class 239B).

She was broker “2427” and I was “2430”.

(BTW, though I clearly was the one who made my best sales presentation ever, to be with me. She sold rings round me at Mother Merrill and was a superstar. I sucked by comparison!)

Also, when I dropped out of the financial industry and went into business for myself, she joined me about six months later and this December we are also celebrating being in business together for 30 years (advice to anyone else considering doing that? Don’t!!! Even though it has been great, you can never get away from the business (and never get away from each other!))

I believe, with all the frustrations occurring, I would have turned to all that gathered by the bench or step and pronounced them as blades of grass. And also remind them that blades of grass are silent. But then again this is your experience. How awesome.